Vendee Globe - Golding completes sixth circumnavigation

In the Vendee Globe, at 2300 last night, Mike Golding completed his sixth circumnavigation of the world, as he crossed his track, whilst racing back up the Atlantic in this his fourth Vendée Globe. With 240 miles to go this morning until he crosses back into the Northern Hemisphere at the Equator (likely to be around midnight GMT tonight), if there was ice aboard Gamesa, Mike Golding would have his small bottle of Champagne Mumm nestling in it as he prepares for one of the significant moments of his Vendée Globe.

The British skipper is resolute in his efforts to hold on to Jean Le Cam who is currently slightly quicker in the moderate reaching conditions which are now, at last, prevailing for the duo. Gamesa is 22 miles behind Le Cam’s SynerCiel, Golding working doggedly to keep in touch with his French rival. He reported last night that the more settled conditions have allowed him a chance to get some more rest as he prepares for the Doldrums crossing which might give him some options against Le Cam.

'Conditions have, at long last, stabilised and last night I enjoyed a long sleep, recharging my batteries for the next hemisphere - crossing tomorrow hopefully. In the back of the increasingly sparse larder I have saved a special bottle, a somewhat battered looking bottle of Mumm, I intend to enjoy it fully - so it is now cooling wrapped in a damp cloth out in the wind!

'SynerCiel is quicker in these conditions and we are now too close for the relative EWNS position to make any significant difference. There's not much I can do except watch him claw out a few miles today. Less than a month ago after some technical problems, SynerCiel was over 450 miles ahead, so it's great to be back alongside him.'